For the second time in three years, BayToday readers have selected the homeless crisis in North Bay as the "Story of the Year."
Of the 1,001 votes cast, 205 or 20 per cent, voted for that issue as number one.
See: What was 2024's 'Story of the year?'
It was just two years ago that readers put the issue front and centre, taking 16 per cent of the vote that year.
See: Homeless in North Bay is the 2022 Story of the Year voted by you
Last year was dominated by the controversial building of a new arena in the West Ferris section of the city.
See: Ongoing arena saga is local top story of 2023 say readers
For 2024, the carnage on Highways 11 and 17 finished a strong second with 145 votes or 14.49 per cent, In the third spot were the struggles encountered at the Gathering Place, a local soup kitchen. The board of directors fired its longtime executive director Dennis Chippa as a result. The story garnered 64 votes or 6.39 percent.
See the final results here.
Finishing strongly were stories relating to the groundbreaking for a new arena in Ferris, a Cobalt teen being attacked by a sword-wielding ex-boyfriend, and the decision by Ontario Health to kick Canadore College out of a deal to provide an addiction centre on Lakeshore Drive.
